Previously, many types of systems have been used in endeavoring to provide an effective means for saving and reusing suds water to reduce the expense of washing using automatic washers. In most cases, the storage container is a conventional reservoir, sink or laundry tub, however, one invention uses a single storage tank inside the washing machine itself.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention however, the following U.S. patents were considered related:
______________________________________ U.S. PAT. NO. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 4,624,118 Yamakawa, et al 25 November 1986 4,495,960 Cartier, et al 29 January 1985 3,965,291 Sims 3 October 1972 2,924,959 Israel, Jr. 16 February 1960 2,920,469 Henshaw, Jr. 12 January 1960 2,894,384 Smith 14 July 1959 2,884,947 Gerhardt 5 May 1959 ______________________________________
Yamakawa et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,118 teach a washing machine with a water store tank that serves as both a washing tank and a water extraction tank. The purpose of the tank is to soak washing products for a predetermined period of time in the washing tank and then transferring the water to the storage tank where the laundry has the water extracted and the water is returned for additional washing prior to draining.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,960 issued to Cartier, et al is for a suds return valve in which a flapper valve is employed that may be manually set to save suds water for subsequent use. The valve automatically returns the flow to the drain when a predetermined level has been reached in the sink or tub used for storage. The valve is manually set to reuse the suds water and then directs the flow to the drain.
Sims provides an automatic washer that includes a suds saving mode of operation in U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,291. This invention permits the wash water to be pumped into a supplementary laundry tub for later reuse. A purge action clears the hose to the tub by pumping rinse water for a short period of time preventing air lock in the pump.
Israel Jr. uses a pump system which is capable of selectively pumping a fluid from any one of a number of sources to selected discharge locations in U.S. Pat. No. 2,924,959. The pump system also has a filtering arrangement to remove lint and foreign matter during the washing operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,920,469 of Henshaw, Jr. employs a suds saver system to reuse wash water that has been saved in an adjacent storage reservoir such as a common household tub set. A separate return pump is used to pass the water back into the washer. The invention includes an improved electrical control system within the washer to accomplish this feature.
Smith in U.S. Pat. No. 2,894,384 also teaches a suds saving control system for a washing machine. This invention however, is for a control system using a reversible motor for the pump effecting centrifugal extraction of the water from the storage container requiring only a single reversible pump for complete operation.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,884,947 of Gerhardt discloses a washing machine where wash water may be pumped back into the machine for subsequent operation. This invention includes an arrangement whereby a pump is employed that has means to keep a prime allowing operation at any time. Further, tap water and sudsy water are supplied to the machine through a common inlet.
It will be noted that while the use of saving the suds water in an auxiliary tank is disclosed commonly within the above prior art, and has been in use even prior to fully automatic washers, no disclosure has been directed to saving rinse water as well.